Oct. 4/07

Vol. 4 No. 2

New student residence on drawing board
In his 2007 Report to the Community, University of Calgary President Harvey Weingarten today announced that the university will make a recommendation to the Board of Governors to build a new 300-unit residence near Cascade Hall. The announcement was part of Weingarten’s annual community update on progress at U of C.>> more

Arctic research sheds light on global warming
An Environmental Science professor and her graduate students are braving the fall Arctic cold on board a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker that’s been turned into a “floating science lab” to test whether sulphur-based gases may be the key to slowing global warming. >> more

Fellowship provides executive mentorship
Canadian investment expert and philanthropist Stephen Jarislowsky has donated $1 million to create an endowment to fund the Jarislowsky Fellowship in Business Management at the Haskayne School of Business, providing executive mentorship to students and faculty. >> more

VP winds up 20-year U of C career
After more than 25 years of service to post-secondary education, including two decades in senior positions at the University of Calgary, Mike McAdam, vice-president (finance and services) has announced he will step down next June. >> more

Women in science and engineering get helping hand
The new Women’s Advancement Office at University of Calgary will focus on “transition points” in the educational pipeline to support more women in science and engineering. Although progress has been made in attracting women to study in these fields, they still face barriers in hiring and promotion. >> more

Fall harvest raises funds for United Way
Lianne Smith is “growing” participation in the university’s United Way campaign by selling vegetables she’s grown at home to raise money for the cause. The administrative assistant in the fund development office has a total of 25 different fundraisers planned, including a raffle for a week for two in the Dominican Republic. >> more

Video game has serious drinking problem
Students from the University of Calgary’s Fine Arts and Computer Sciences disciplines have collaborated to connect theatre to video gaming to create Booze Cruise, a game that simulates what it’s like to drink and drive. The game, which had input from the Calgary police service, has been entered in an international competition. >> more

Harnessing the sun to heat homes
Schulich School of Engineering Professor Abdulmajeed Mohamad is working to use the power of the sun to heat our homes while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The solar air heater he has developed is twice as efficient as current units. >> more

Studying the link between food and mood
A University of Calgary PhD student is studying the link between nutrition and depression in pregnant women and new mothers, breaking new ground with her long-term approach and her focus on pregnant women, who are often excluded from such studies. >> more

Water experts gather for international forum
Managing the increasing demand for western North America’s fresh water supplies will be the topic of a one day symposium, featuring leading water policy experts from Alberta and the United States. Organized by the U of C’s Institute for United States Policy Research and its sponsors, the forum features talks by UC Berkeley water expert Henry Vaux and Alberta environment minister Rob Renner. >> more

Celebrate birth of Child Development Centre
Canada’s most advanced Child Development Centre—conceived for and by Calgary’s community, researchers and children—is opening on Oct. 9. You’re invited to attend, and help celebrate Calgary’s most environmentally advanced building, dedicated to the study of child development-related issues. >> more

Students “get smarter” with business icon
University of Calgary students will have a rare chance to hear from and meet a Canadian business titan on Wednesday, Oct.10 when Seymour Schulich, the namesake of the U of C’s Schulich School of Engineering, speaks at a free event for the campus community in MacEwan Hall. >> more

Print it: Sale features student, faculty artwork
Original silkscreen prints created by undergraduate and graduate students, recent graduates, visiting artists, and faculty members will be for sale for only $25 each at the Department of Art’s 22nd annual print sale. Proceeds are used to buy art supplies for students and support scholarships. >> more

Women’s Resource Centre holds fundraising gala
The Women’s Resource Centre is now selling tickets to its inaugural fundraising gala and awards ceremony, which will honour the achievements of female graduates and students at the University of Calgary. >> more

Alumnus fills key role as envoy to U.S.
Gary Mar, BComm’84, becomes the second University of Calgary alumnus to be Alberta’s envoy in Washington, D.C. Mar, MLA for Calgary-Mackay for four terms, follows in the footsteps of Murray Smith, BA’71. Mar starts his new role in late October. >> more

Postcard from Vietnam
University of Calgary student James Bartlett had always been interested in Vietnam because of Hollywood films about the war and his father’s hippie stories about the ’60s and ’70s. A group study program in Vietnam, part of a course on war literature, gave him a broader perspective on a country ravaged by war for 50 years. >> more